Water Winging It
Science and Technology District - Iacon This is quadrant theta of Iacon, but it is much better known as the science and technological hub of the city-state. Spiral towers and domed buildings fill this entire quadrant, some operating as factories while others are research and development centers for any given kinds of projects. Thousands of multi-leveled floating collapsible highway networks extend across this entire region, occupying the spaces in between the sea of buildings. Noteworthy landmarks in this area are the famed Iacon General Hospital, Academy of Science and Technology, and the Observatory of Iacon. In the distance, the Central Spaceport can be seen to the southwest, while Iacon's City Center can be seen over southeast. The THP-THP-THP-THP of rotors fills the air over the Tech District until Sandstorm gets close enough to lower the large case he was carrying underneath to the ground. Then transforms himself and lands next to it with a light thunk. Grabbing one handle of the trunk he hoisted it up to carry it over his shoulder as he stood. With the other hand he pulled out the note he'd scribbled some numbers and stuff on. Good thing all these labs and workshops are numberically listed. He's got his stuff, the shop is right over there, now we just need the mechanic! And here she is! Despite being a medic, Torque enjoys tinkering and buidling as much as the next engineer, so it's safe to say she has her own little space to work. At the sound of Sandstorm landing outside, Torque sticks her heat out the open door of her workshop and grins. "Sandstorm! Glad you found the place okay, c'mon in." She waves for him to follow and ducks back in. The interior is big enough, more like a large garage than anything else, but it suits her needs. "Sorry for the mess." She flashes an apologetic smile when stepping up to her largest workbench, trying to clear off some of the clutter. The place is more orgnanized chaos than anything with half finished experiments strewn across tables and holographic diagrams still on and lighting up the back of the shop. Once she's made some room she finally looks to Sandstorm fully and beams, "So what can I do for yah? Sounded important." Sandstorm pfffts as he saunters up and ducks a little for the doorway so he doesn't bang is load around. "Wouldn't be much of a scout if I can't find places, now would I?" he replies in jest. "Quite a spot you've got here Torque. But it's perfect." And then laughs as he walks over a workbench and nudges a spot clear to set down the supply trunk. "If you're worried about me worrying about a mess, you haven't been down to Debris very much." Once its down he clicks the locks open, and then smacks his fist on the lid to make it pop open. Inside the trunk is a couple of what look to be small ballast tanks, a bunch of waterproofing supplies, and assorted other odds and ends. He turns to grin at the femme. "We're gonna put the proper ALL terrain in my all terrain mode. If the Cons are gonna be messin' around in the water it's time to mess 'em back." Torque's antennas perk when he sets the trunk down, stepping up to curiously peek inside. Now what would he want done with this stuff..? And then he reveals his master plan, drawing a surprised look from her than soon melts into a wide grin. "That's awesome!" Yep, she's excited now. Already the femme is taking stuff from the trunk, turning some things this way and that to go over them. "Heh, those Cons won't be able to run anywehre from you at this rate. I swear at some point I just know I'll be strapping rockets on you for space travel." With everything laid out, Torque nods to herself and glances sidelong at the triplechanger. "Looks like you've got pretty much everything you need. Shall we get started then?" Sandstorm steps away from the bench and shifts to look over his shoulder while he lifts a leg up behind him. "Maneuvering jump-jets wouldn't be a bad idea, but lets stick to one step at a time! I'm not -that- crazy." Followed by another chortle as he strides over to the vehicle lift and hoists himself onto it. "It's mainly for my land mode, but since my transformation uses pretty much all of me in every mode, it should seal up my robot mode as well." With that he sprawls back and transforms, settling into place on the lift so Torque has full access to his chassis to do what needs to be done. Sandstorm transforms into his Desert Patrol Vehicle mode. Torque snorts softly and lifts her chin a little at the mech on the lift, retorting with a cheeky smirk. "You know you're talkin' to someone that knows your schematics inside and out. I know what it'll seal, don't you worry." With that said she takes up her tools and the provided objects, bringing them with her to his side. "So what made you decide to get this done?" Torque strikes up a bit of idle coversation while elbow deep in the mech, setting up the new lines for the ballast tanks and rerouting some connections to hook up with a propellor system. Sandstorm's voice emits from the vehicle with a laugh as she points that out. "And you know you're talking to someone that's smarter than he acts. I know you're good for the job Torque. I only went over stuff myself to make sure I got the right setup that works." The already light design of his buggy mode means there's not a lot of bulk and she's got plenty of room to work. Light but sturdy. He's quiet for a moment after the question, then responds a bit more seriously, "It's my job to be ahead of pack, to find out what we're up against and if necessary put a dent in it. If *I* can't handle the environment, what chance does, say, Springer? Or Rodimus? Sure their vehicle modes are strong, but Spring's made for speed and Rod's packin' a lot of mass. They could get stuck sick nasty if someone doesn't find the right way. And sometimes just because I can fly don't mean it's the right option. Water has mist and fog a lot, or low clouds. Too far up and I wouldn't be able to see what I could from the water itself." A thoughtful smile curls on the medic's lips as Sandstorm explains. "And here I thought you just wanted to go swimming for often." A soft chuckle escapes. "But I understand what you mean, and I admire that kind of conviction. ..And maybe envy it just a little." Torque smiles warmly and turns back to her work, taking a wrench-like tool in hand and installing the tanks on his altmode, making sure their connections are working and they won't interfere with transforming. "Alright, tanks are on." She announces, moving to the back to set up the propellors, since the ones he comes with aren't exactly made for underwater use. Though giant helicopter blades in the back would look pretty awesome, admittedly. "Just gotta set these up, then I can start sealing you.." "That I can go surfing without worry is just a slick bonus. I bet that storm has got some wicked winds." It's not -all- fun and games for the daredevil. Just that his concept of fun and games tends to overlap with getting his specialty done. While she's walking around to the back Sandstorm rocks on his suspension a little, double-checking his own clearance. "Got room to make them fold in back there? Don't want 'em snaggin' on anything on land after all. Bet I can use my killer exhaust for a bit of an extra boost, too." "Already a step ahead of yah." Torque chimes, a few sparks rising up from behind him as she welds the base of the propellors in place, slicing wires afterwards to give him control. "Alright, now for the dry run. Try and start 'em up, then pivot them around a bit." Just as asked, Sandstorm will find his new additions to be retractable, the propellors folding outward to his sides for maximum maneuverability. While he does that, Torque makes sure to tweak accordingly so everything syncs up perfect. "How do they feel?" It takes a few moments for Sandstorm to mentally find where the new connections are. It's... actually there really isn't a good comparison because normal people don't get new parts connected to them on a regular basis. Normally. You could say something about having a new limb attached, but that's just kind of weird and a little disturbing. But once he finds the right pathway the props buzz to life, assemblies wiggle back and forth a few times, and then everything powers off again so she can tweak as necessary. "Left side's vibrating a little more than the right Torq, double-check that those anchor connections are tight?" Imagine how it feels when you get a new altmode. Now that's a bit harder to compare to humans. But thankfully this is just a little upgrade and nothing too drastic. And by the look of things, the connections are stable and everything is in working order, though Torque nods at the suggestion and goes back in to tighten up the assembly a bit more. "Tight as I can get it, so it should be stable now." With that finished she sets her tools aside. "And now to make sure nothing gets in and shorts you out." Torque grins and holds up the waterproofing kit. They can handle spills and take a swim, sure. But extended periods underwater? Yeah, he needs this. Thankfully the process is rather harmless, utilizing a hydrophobic nanospray which she coats his internals with rather liberally once under the hood. Desert Patrol Vehicle gives the props another wiggle, then folds them up into place. "Yep, feels stable now. Oh I can't wait to try this out. Next time the Cons decided to dick around in the water they are so going to regret it." When Torque walks back to the front he pops his hood open for her once more. Followed by a bit of a snickering as the nanospray is applied. "That kinda tickles!" The buggy was already light enough to float, but this will definately make it a much more long term capacity. Then being able to go under in robot mode as well. Bonus! Torque laughs softly at that, "Even the Seacons'll be running after you kick their afts in their own territory." She just about finishes under the hood, but pauses when she hears the snickering and leans over to flash a playful smile at the mech. "Oh?" She gives a few more sprays just to tease him before closing the hood and finishing up on the rest of him and ending beneath his undercarriage, which she gets to by raising the lift some. "One waterproofed buggy, ready for underwater action." Torque exclaims triumphantly when stepping out beneath Sandstorm, lowering the lift back to the floor so he can transform. "But just to be safe, you might wanna do a few test runs out there and lemme know how well the seal holds up." "Yeah, I'll have to give it a test or two first, just to be certain. I'm crazy, not -stupid-." Sandstorm laughs at his own dumb joke as he transforms, sitting up on the lift in robot mode. "Not that I doubt your work none you know." Idly he reachs with one hand to feel where the ballast tanks are stored somewhere in his lower back now. Perfect centralized place for them to control how deep or not he goes as a robot. "I wonder if Topspin would let me use him as a wakeboard." He puts musing aside and hops off the lift, and gives Torque a thump to the shoulder. "Thanks gal. I wouldn't want just anyone poking my insides for something like that." Desert Patrol Vehicle transforms into his Sandstorm mode. "Crazy is right." Torque teases and grins, though this drops suddenly in surprise when he bumps her shoulder. Did he just compliment her? A Wrecker? She looks a little dazzled, but this is quickly overtaken by a wide smile and what appears to be the violet hint of a blush on her cheeks. "Don't mention it! I'm just really glad I could help out." Antennas flick up and down in a slight 'flutter' motion as she bashfully rubs the back of her neck. "Just make sure to beat up a Con real good for me out there, yeah?" "You got it. I'd bring you back a piece, but Whirl kinda already did that and I ain't gonna step on a bro's shtick." Sandstorm grabs the trunk he used with one hand, then taps his chin thoughtfully with the other as he heads out. "Never did figure out how he managed to do that with those big honkin' pinchers. I have a fraggin' -knife- and it still takes precision."